Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies, Harvard University
Professor, George Mason University
Senior Program Director (on leave from GMU), National Science Foundation (NSF)
Visiting Scientist, NASA Johnson Space Center
Visiting Scientist (Computer Science Laboratory), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Assistant/Associate/Professor, University of Houston–Clear Lake
Policy Fellow (via Institute for Educational Leadership), National Institute of Education (Office of the Director)
Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Chris Dede is a Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and, for 22 years (2000–2022), was the Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies. His scholarship spans emerging technologies for learning (AI, XR/AR/VR, multi‑user virtual environments), online and hybrid learning at scale, teacher professional learning, and policies/leadership for technology‑enabled educational change. He co‑founded the Silver Lining for Learning initiative (2020) and serves as Co‑PI and Associate Director for Research of the NSF AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (AI‑ALOE). Earlier in his career he held faculty appointments at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Houston–Clear Lake and served at George Mason University (1991–2000). He has also been a Visiting Scientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and at MIT’s Computer Science Lab, a Senior Program Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation, and a Policy Fellow at the National Institute of Education. His degrees include a B.S. (Chemistry and English) from Caltech (1969) and an Ed.D. (Science Education) from UMass Amherst (1972).
Education Sciences • Journal
Argues that post‑pandemic learning is irreversibly hybrid and outlines a next‑generation, large‑scale digital model emphasizing student engagement, personalization via rich data, AI‑supported teaching/learning, cross‑university content sharing, and sustained learning communities. Synthesizes insights from Harvard, MIT, and Stanford task‑force reports to propose actionable strategies for massive, engaging hybrid learning.
Computers & Education • Journal
Middle school field trips combining mobile AR guidance with environmental probeware helped students collect and interpret water‑quality data at a pond. Across five classes, learners showed gains in affect and content understanding; teachers reported the experience encouraged student‑centered inquiry, richer scientific practices, and deeper grasp of measurement principles.
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning • Journal
Reviews international frameworks on 21st‑century competencies with a focus on digital literacy; examines learning approaches suited to developing these competencies and the role of technology. Identifies gaps between rhetoric and practice due to curricular, assessment, and teacher‑preparation challenges, and concludes with recommendations for implementation at scale.
Science • Journal
Reviews how degrees of digital immersion contribute to learning. When designs blend actional, symbolic, and sensory factors, learners more readily feel ‘inside’ the setting. Evidence shows immersive media can aid learning via multiple perspectives, situated activity, and transfer; further research is needed on which media, designs, and learner strengths best align to optimize outcomes.
Journal of Science Education and Technology • Journal
Design‑based studies in grades 6–10 examined how handheld, GPS‑enabled AR simulations support teaching and learning. Students and teachers reported high engagement from narrative, situated, collaborative problem‑solving elements, especially for learners who previously struggled. Benefits came with technological, managerial, and cognitive challenges that instruction must address.
Routledge • Book
Edited volume presenting models and strategies for lifelong, life‑wide upskilling. Chapters showcase ways universities can extend learners’ trajectories across multiple careers, addressing globalization, sustainability, and technologies such as AI and data science, with practical steps for curriculum, design, and policy leaders.
Routledge • Book
Overview of learning engineering as analytics‑driven optimization of learning at scale. Chapters connect theory to design‑based cases from leading institutions and conclude with a research agenda for improving engagement and outcomes in online and blended contexts.
Springer Singapore (Smart Computing and Intelligence series) • Book
Survey of theory, design, research, and implementation for immersive learning. Covers advances in VR/MR, assessment innovations, and challenges of scaling implementations across formal and informal settings; offers an R&D agenda and guidance for educators, designers, and policy makers.
Harvard Education Press • Book
Focuses on online and blended professional development models for STEM educators, detailing structures, audiences, and evidence on effectiveness—from video‑based courses and just‑in‑time supports to large‑scale MOOCs—along with lessons for designers and researchers.
Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (Springer) • Chapter
Reviews virtual worlds and immersive simulations designed for situated learning. The chapter surveys educational and entertainment examples, discusses theoretical foundations, and identifies affordances such as collaboration, participation, and experience beyond real‑world constraints. It also examines adoption barriers in education and outlines instructional design considerations for using immersive technologies to support learning.
Teachers College Press • Book
Edited collection analyzing digital teaching platforms (DTPs) as an emerging medium for classroom improvement. Contributors examine design and evaluation principles, alignment to policy contexts (e.g., Common Core, NETP), and how DTP tools support lesson creation, assessment, reporting, discussion, and differentiated instruction.